Pages

Wednesday, 30 December 2015

Hello lovelies! Today I'm talking about hair again. Some of you may have noticed on my Instagram and Twitter that I've had a drastic hair change. Well, I had a bit of a hair disaster so in a moment of desperation (and madness) I threw on a temporary orange hair dye. Let's just say it wasn't as temporary as it claimed. Anyways, I'm back to blonde now with the help of some washing up liquid and a bleach bath... eek. You can imagine the strain my poor hair has gone through so this Scott Cornwall Precolour Protein Spray* couldn't have come at a better time.

If you've been a long time reader of my blog, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of Scott Cornwall products especially the Colour Restore Toner (review here). It has saved me on many occasions so I had high hopes for this product. We all know that our body needs protein and so does our hair. If our hair is lacking in the protein department, it can become damaged, dry and brittle. At the same time, too much protein can be damaging. Why is hair care so hard?! I had no idea that you could get protein spray for hair and even better one aimed at protecting hair before colouring or bleaching so lets see if it was too good to be true!Scott Cornwall's Precolour Protein Spray aims to protect weakened, dry and porous areas of hair prior to any colourant. The bottle states that it can also be used on very damaged hair as a regular post wash leave in treatment to retain moisture and help prevent further damage.

Claims -protect hair prior to chemical treatment -helps to strengthen and prevent breakage-creates a more even colour by filling in the gaps in the dry and porous areas

Instructions:Shake bottle before use and spray evenly throughout dry and porous hair. If colouring, never dry Protein Spray after application, comb through and ensure hair feels slightly damp. Then proceed to colour hair immediately after.

Thoughts:
First of all, this smells absolutely amazing. It reminds me of that lovely hair salon scent, I can't put my finger on what it is exactly but you'll know what I mean the next time you get your hair cut. I used this as a precolour treatment as stated but I had a hard time understanding the instructions. I wasn't too sure what it meant by not drying the spray so I kind of just hoped for the best with it. What I noticed was that my colour touch up was a lot more even. In fact, the colour was almost perfect minus a few patches that had less time to develop. My hair didn't feel any more damaged than it already was after bleaching (even on the ends where I gave it a bleach bath).

In terms of a protein hair treatment, I've been using this once a week after washing my hair and my hair does feel strong. I've also been sneakily spraying it in my hair to use as a hair perfume ... It may sound crazy but it just smells so good. The one thing that I didn't like about the Scott Cornwall Precolour Protein Spray is that if you go a bit overboard or don't distribute it evenly thought the hair, it feels a little stiff. Kind of like when you spray a bit too much hairspray so just don't be heavy handed with it.

Overall, I'm really impressed with the Precolour Protein Spray as it has helped me to get my hair back to normal by evening out the colour. My hair probably needs all the protein it can get at the moment so hopefully I'll be able to put this hair dye disaster behind me!

Wednesday, 16 December 2015

Hello lovelies! Today I'm back with my ultimate Christmas gift guide! I've got you covered in case you're one of those last minute shoppers just like me. There's no shame in it, we just love the festive vibes whilst being trampled on in the Christmas eve shopping stampede... Nothing says Christmas like a an elbow in your back and a scrap for the last turkey.

Hopefully all that can be avoided with a little pre planning. I've compiled a few gift guides that will please the beauty addict, the tech lover and even the hard to buy for man in your life. There's also a few stocking fillers thrown in the mix. Enjoy!

Everything is linked if you see anything that takes your fancy. I hope that's taken away some of the pressure that surrounds Christmas shopping. Now go get yourself a hot chocolate, you deserve it!Do you have any go to gift ideas?

Thursday, 10 December 2015

Hello lovelies! It's that time of the year again. Yes, the Christmas party. Usually resulting in a case of despair, disgust and total embarrassment. Handing in your resignation may be playing on your mind after throwing up on the street corner or flashing a bit more than your thigh as you launched yourself down those pesky stairs. In the event of anything like this, you could always distract from the situation by whipping out your fancy nails for everyone to admire. Only joking, (nothing will save you from that) but it's definitely a safer conversation topic than last years antics. Here's 5 tips for the perfect at home mani pedi to get you ready for the festive season.

1. Trim, Buff and Push
First of all use nail clippers and/or a nail file to shape your nails. I'd recommend using a metal nailfile as it causes less damage to the nail as opposed to the standard sand papery type. If you're looking for one in particular try Leighton Denny's crystal nail file. Recently I realised how important it was to push the cuticles back. The idea always freaked me out but it's surprisingly painless and totally worth it if you want a flawless nail. It also makes them look longer which is a major bonus just don't push too hard. Oh and don't forget to buff your nails. Again this makes a huuuge difference as it not only makes them shiny, it removes all those ridges which tend to peep through the polish.

2. Base Coat Is A Must!
I use Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails. Not only does a few coats strengthen your nails but it also stops staining which is important when you're using some of those dark festive colours. I never thought I'd stop biting my nails but I've been going 5 years strong and that's all down to Sally Hansen. I'd totally recommend it if anyone is looking for ways to stop biting nails or have nails that are forever snapping!

3. Sand those feet!
Let's face it, we've all had hard skin on our feet before, right? It's pretty hard to avoid so if you don't then you're one lucky lady and don't you forget it! A while back I talked about the Pedi Spin which now seems a little clunky and dated after testing this one out. This is the Micro Pedi Nano* aka the Emoji Micro Pedi Nano. The Micro Pedi Nano is compact and pretty nifty. It works as a hard skin and callus remover by rotating at 30 times per second which is crazy. It's shaped to fit the contour of your hand and glides along like there's no tomorrow. The Micro Pedi even has a detachable head to empty and clean all the dead skin out (sorry if you're eating). Just in case you're worried about all the nasty bacteria on your feet, they have us covered. It actually has an anti bacterial treated roller. If you've got severe hard skin, this may take a few rounds but afterwards your feet are left feeling stroke-ably good. Micro is in its name and in its nature, it's so light! With my old Pedi Spin, it used to freak out and spin across my foot causing a few injuries now and again. The Micro Pedi Nano feels a lot safer as it doesn't have a mind of it's own. Plus it comes in a range of pretty colours which are always hard to resist. I'm like a magpie when it comes to anything pink!

4. Nail it!
I can be quite slap handed when it comes to my nails especially during winter. I find it hard to reach them hunched over twenty layers of winter wear but when it comes to special occasions I tend to give them a little more attention. You never know when you need to crack out a fancy pair of shoes so it's best to be prepared. If you're wondering how to paint your nails I was told a little secret. You should drop a dot of nail polish on the lower third of your nail in the middle. You then push the polish to your cuticle and then pull it back all the way to the top. The middle strip of your nail should now be covered. Go back to the dot and repeat the process but by sweeping the polish to the right and to the top and again for the left. Perfecto! Don't forget a top coat (I use M&S's Top Coat but anything clear will do).

5. Moisturise
The final step and the one that is often overlooked is to moisturise. If we've done all that hard work with the sanding, we need to give our feet a treat. I've been using Clinique's Deep Comfort Body Butter. I don't use this on my body as it takes a while to sink in with it being a heavy cream. This actually makes it perfect for my feet as I smother them in lotion and wear a pair of clean socks for the night. Thisallows it all to sink in and prevents you from waking up looking like the grinch from all fluff off the floor. As for my hands, I'm all out of the Body Shop's Wild Rosehand cream so I'm currently using their Hemp hand creaminstead. It's perfect for those with dry hands as it's an intense moisturiser.

There you have it. 5 Tips for the perfect mani pedi so we're all ready for the festive season. Even if you haven't got any parties to attend this year or you're like me and prefer curling up on the couch with a hot chocolate and book. Who cares? A little bit of pampering goes along way to ease off those winter blues.

Sunday, 29 November 2015

Hello lovelies! I'm going through an it's too cold to be in the bathroom' phase at the moment. Is anyone else feeling me? I'm wanting to be in and out in a flash. Nothing says a relaxing bath like shivering your tootsies off and don't even get me started on the race to get your pyjamas on whilst still hugging the towel. I was kindly sent some skincare goodies from Weleda and as there were a few bath related products, I was hoping they would make spending time in the bathroom more enjoyable. After all, their motto is 'in harmony with nature and the human being'. That sounds pretty relaxing right? Lets see how I got on shall we?

Weleda claim that their new almond body wash gently cleanses and cares for the skin. It's a mild body wash and has also been approved for skin intolerances. At first I wasn't too into the scent. It's a no frills marzipan fragrance and I'm usually a floral kinda girl. Surprisingly the scent didn't linger around and it actually started growing on me. I don't know if you girls have this problem but my legs become so itchy and sore after shaving (thank god it's winter). I was hoping this would calm them down a little and it really did soothe them. This was so hydrating! It felt like I'd moisturised afterwards which was crazy as I put my hands up. I haven't moisturised my body in god knows how long. It's just too cold and ain't nobody got time for that! Overall, I'm surprisingly happy with this and I'd actually purchase it due to how hydrating it was.

This almond soothing facial cream is said to be gentle and aims to calm delicate skin. It contains organic almond oil to restore the skins balance and enhance protective layers. With it being an intensive moisturiser for dry and sensitive skin, my boyfriend ended up as a guinea pig here. I could see the fear in his eyes when I told him I had a cream to try out but he kindly let me smother his face in it. The cream isn't too heavy although it does take a while to rub in. Initially he said that the cream was stinging. Perhaps his skin is too sensitive to use this cream on. Looking back we probably should have done a patch test first. Stinging aside, his face did feel moisturised and the redness did settle down after washing.

This was definitely more my kind of thing. I was obsessed with The Body Shop's Wild Rose hand cream until I ran out about two weeks ago. The smell is just incredible so when I opened the box up, I couldn't wait to get my fix. Ahhh I was so pleased with this. A rose scented soap. This soap is plant based and made from 100% vegetable sources making it so gentle on the skin. I'm not going to lie I did get a little protective over who could use it. Don't use my soapy goodness! The soap is a creamy colour and ... well a bar of soap. It cleanses, you know the score. It's one of those soaps that leave a squeaky clean feeling but strangely doesn't feel stripping. I'm a lover of pretty soaps in the soap dish so I'm happy to have this box on display.

This wild rose facial lotion aims to soften fine lines, preserves skins youthful vitality and stimulates skins growth processes. As with the other Weleda products, it contains natural ingredients such as the oil of organic rosa mosqueta seeds which aid in the skins regeneration. I must admit I'm a little picky when it comes to face cream. It can either make or break me or should I say break me out. I was willing to give this a go as I already had a rose scented body, I might as well have a matching face too. This was such a light lotion and glided on lovely. I did notice however that it left a slightly oily residue which wouldn't be a problem but I already have oily skin. It surprisingly didn't break me out but personally I think my skin would be more suited to their specialist skincare range. This is probably one for me to use when my skin is feeling a little dehydrated.

What I love about Weleda is that they understand that we are all different. They've got us all covered by introducing eight different skincare sets that tackle all of our problems and that's just their facial range. There's even one for men so you're boyfriend won't feel left out. If any of you are suffering with dry skin during the winter, definitely try the Almond Body Wash. I couldn't recommend it enough. Also Weleda like to use natural and organic ingredients making a lot of products suitable for vegetarians and vegans. If you'd like to see for yourself I'll leave a link here.

Tuesday, 17 November 2015

Hello lovelies! With the festive season on its way, it's more acceptable to introduce some sparkle into our lives. I'm not just talking about that coat of glittery nail polish you're considering applying to your nails. I'm talking about our faces. Ok, sparkle may be a bit too much unless you're part timing as a mermaid but what about getting our glow back? What glow you may be wondering? Yes, I know it may be hard to remember considering we've been submerged into darkness over here but there's nothing wrong with faking it. After all, who can resist glowy skin?

Today I'm talking all about Temple Spa's Red Carpet Range*. You may remember a while back I fell in love with Temple Spa's Exalt Firming Neck Cream and they definitely haven't disappointed again. When I think about the red carpet, what springs to mind is beautiful women with radiant skin, oh and gorgeous dresses. We can't not mention the dresses right? Unfortunately Temple Spa can't cover us on the dress front but they've gave it their best to provide a makeup and skin care range that enhances our celeb worthy skin.

Here's what they say:

'Do you ever wish you could erase the lines and tell-tale signs of tiredness.... like immediately? This high-tech miracle make-up collection will make you look like you’ve had a red carpet facial, in seconds. Fabulous ‘photo-finish’ results you can see straight away.

Use for everyday glamour or when you need a quick fix for a big event. Use to hide flaws and skin imperfections or to give your complexion a bit of ‘wow-factor’. However you want to use them they all work synergistically to ensure red carpet look readiness when you need it. You will look amazing!'

Temple Spa The Contourist* 6 sachets (£50):

Let's face it, we've all seen the celebs working this type of face mask on Instagram so I was pretty excited to see the results. The mask is one of those over the ear ones which contours the skin. Temple Spa's The Contourist uses diamond weave technology to lift, reduce sagging, define contours and remodel the face. Kind of like a face lift without the pain. The mask is also saturated in a 'skin perfecting serum' which is incredibly cold but so refreshing. Afterwards you can massage the serum into the skin as a treat.

All I was really looking for out of this was maybe a better contour and a luxurious spa experience. They definitely achieved the spa experience part as the mask was so relaxing and refreshing althoughI'm not too sure about the contouring part to be honest. My cheekbones did look more definedbut it wasn't a huge difference. That aside, my skin was left feeling revived with a lovely healthy glow. It also felt pretty tight but not in the I've just washed my face with a tube of Freederm way (we've all been there) but in a firm way. An added bonus of this mask is that you can get a few laughs by jumping out and scaring your boyfriend when wearing it. I'm still laughing about it now.

Temple Spa Glint* (£25):

This is the product I was most excited for. Glint is a highlighting concealer pen which can be used to brighten dark areas. Temple Spa suggest using this to camouflage dark circles, shadows and fine lines. It is also supposed to create an even skin tone. Those of you who read my blog often will know that I'm forever battling with dark circles so Temple Spa would have to pull out all the stops to impress me in the eye department.

Once the concealer is flowing, I find that one click is enough for both eyes as the liquid distributes really well. The concealer is light enough to blend with ease and doesn't crease or cake under the eyes which is always a problem for me. As for coverage, this does a pretty good job for concealing under eyes. I do go in now and again with another concealer to cover the darkness in my inner corners but as for the rest of my eye it leaves a beautiful light reflecting finish. I usually pat it out to my outer cheek bone area to create a glowy highlight too. My only issue is the colour. I'm incredibly pale so light is still a little too dark for me but only just.

Temple Spa Look On The Bright Side Instance Radiance Booster* (£30):

I actually thought I'd like this the least out of the bunch but surprisingly this was my favourite. Temple Spa state that Look On The Bright Side can even out skin tone, gives a detoxing effect, energises and revives skin. This can be used as an illumininator/highlighter so you can apply it to cheek bones, centre of the nose etc. to brighten up the face. I initially tried it this way but it seemed to cake on my cheek bones. I had the same issue with Benefit's High Beam so I'm not sure if it's to do with my skin type but I switched to using this under my foundation and what a difference it made!

I always thought that using an illuminator underneath my makeup would be pointless as it would wash out the effect but it didn't. I made sure to apply it in particular around my cheek area and the glow was just stunning. The liquid is scarily orange when you look at it but don't be fooled. This instantly sheers out leaving a light golden highlight. Imagine a sunkissed glow. My favourite thing about this product is the smell. This may sound crazy but it smells like holidays. Think lying on the beach with a mix of sun tan lotion, sea, sand and a hint of light perfume. I have a habit of smelling it and my boyfriend keeps saying are you at it again. He thinks it smells like posh people but that's boys for you. I can see where he's coming from though, it does have a luxurious scent.

Overall I'm pretty impressed with this range. I was looking for a product to replace my Dream Lumi Touch after the drama I had with the shading and Glint has definitely restored my faith in the concealer pen. If you're looking to fake that glow, I'd definitely recommend Look On The Bright Side. Don't hold me to this but I'm sure you can get a bottle of this if you subscribe to Glamour Magazine (double check that first though). As for The Contourist, it's such a luxurious product but a little pricey for me. I'd say it's more of a Christmas treat. If you'd like to have a browse of the Temple Spa website I'll leave a link here. Also if you're lucky and you live near a Selfridges or Harrords you could also pop in.

Tuesday, 27 October 2015

Hello lovelies! Autumn for me is all about layering, oversized coats, textures and a whole lot of burgundy. Ok... and a little bit of mustard too. It's the perfect time to shake up our wardrobes and release our inner goth by digging out that dark lippy and donning our best Wednesday Adams inspired attire. I'm definitely feeling that Autumnal vibe at the moment so a wishlist was the perfect excuse to do a spot of online window shopping. I'm not going to lie, I've actually spent the last three hours looking at clothes and makeup. Wishlists get me everytime...

You all know how much I love finding a good bargain so this wishlist consists of products from a company called Banggood. Banggood sell a huge range of products from homeware, technology, cheap clothes and makeup. Basically, all your shopping in one place making it perfect for submerging yourself into a wishlist black hole like I've just done. Let's take a look shall we?

1. Women's Houndstooth Tweed Long Sleeve Coat (£18.95)
Houndstooth is one of those patterns that seems to never go out of fashion. I've actually wanted a coat like this for a while now, they just looks so classy. I'm a bit of a coat hoarder. I seem to have nothing to wear during Spring but have a large selection of winter coats. That's what happens when you're that person who is constantly cold. Finding a decent yet stylish coat can be difficult and lets not forget how expensive they can be. To find a cheap coat like this is a rare occurrence so I'd be interested in seeing how it looks on.

2. Women's Fashion Zipper PU Leather Stitching Skirt (£10.20)
Who said that skirts were only meant to be worn in Summer? With a little help from a pair of tights, you can still brave the cold. This skirt actually reminds me of one I spotted in Topshop but at just a fraction of the cost. Everyone has been going crazy for leather skirts and who hasn't considered buying a tan skirt this year? The fact that this skirt has both makes me a teensy bit excited. The leather just adds a bit of texture to an outfit and the tan really ties into that autumnal feel. Perfect!

3. Women's Leopard Print Color Block Shoulder Bag (£15.43)
Can we just have a moment to appreciate how gorgeous this bag is?! It was one of those products that you scroll past then have to go back to look for it because you realise you've fallen in love. I'm a secret lover of leopard print and the dark leather really complements the design. I tend to acquire a lot of bag junk during the colder months. Mainly receipts (it must be all those pumpkin spiced lattes). This bag looks roomy enough for essentials yet but not big enough to get carried away. Where's that heart eyed emoji when you need it?

4. Pointed Toe High Heel Ankle Women's Boots Oxfords With Lace (£12.23)
These shoes were another instant love. Of course the burgundy did influence me... I don't know if you guys remember my burgundy shoes from Topshop but it's almost time to throw them out. Ok, when I say throw out I mean keep at the bottom of the shoe rack as I'm too emotionally tied to them to say goodbye. I'm actually considering buying a pair of these Oxfords to replace them. For £12.23, they're such a bargain! I think they'd go perfectly with a dark berry lip which leads me nicely onto the next thing on my autumn fashion wishlist.

5. Sugarbox Lipstick Crayon Pen Vitamin E Lip Tint Makeup Cosmetics (£2.23)Bangood have such an amazing range of makeup. I couldn't resist having a browse... I even spotted a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette which is one of my favs and I got sucked in from there. No autumnal outfit is complete without a dark berry lip so for £2.23, I'd love to see how this one applies. Plus the vitamin E sounds so dreamy as my lips tend to dry out rapidly during the colder months.

So that was my autumn fashion wishlist. Everything is linked if you fancy having a browse! What's your favourite piece? Do you have any autumn essentials?

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Hello lovelies! I'm sorry to use the c word so early but lets just get it out of the way. Christmas. There, I've said it! Some people like to do their Christmas shopping early so I thought I'd post this in advance for all you early birds. I'm not going to lie, I'm a last minute shopper ... as in Christmas Eve although I'm hoping to be a little more prepared this time round (fingers crossed). Since trying my first non chocolate related advent calendar last year, I'm always on the look out for a new one to try.

It was like Christmas came early when I was kindly sent theYankee Candle Carousel Advent Calendar* to have a sniff of. The carousel advent calendar is new to Yankee Candle and contains a mix of votives and tealights with a few new festive scents thrown into the mix.Warning! Spoilers ahead although I won't tell you what order they come in as I can't remember myself!

Once Christmas comes, I fill every corner, table, shelf (you name it) with Yankee Candles. I'm OBSESSED. I know I'm not the only one either. Yankee Candle are renowned for bringing true to life scents straight into our homes. Scents not only help us to set the mood but they can also remind us of times past which make Yankee candle so special to many. Let's have a peak inside shall we?

The scents included in the tea light selection are: Candy Cane Lane, Icicles, Spiced Orange, Snowflake Cookie and Winter Glow.
The scents included in the votive selection are: Berry Trifle, Bundle Up, Cosy By The Fire and Winter Glow.
I just love the tradition of burning a candle for each day of advent. I obviously had a good sniff of all the candles and I have to say that Cosy By The Fire is my favourite out of the set. It smells ... well, just like sitting by an open fire and I can't wait to burn it! This advent calendar retails at £31.99 which isn't too bad compared to some of the advent calendars I've seen around. Now I guess it's time for me to put the Christmas decorations back away however tempting it is to leave them out...

Tuesday, 13 October 2015

Hello lovelies! The past few years have all been about the concealer, the highlighter and the contour. Those three things are what I change the most out of my makeup routine. I've been testing out a few concealers lately. Concealers to cover blemishes, concealers for dark circles and finally concealers to highlight and brighten. That's a whole lot of concealer to think about. I want to keep it simple, I don't have the time to be applying three different products especially under my eye area so I thought I'd give Maybelline's Dream Lumi Touch (£6.99) a go as it is meant to highlight and conceal in one making it perfect for under eyes (and for time saving). I've heard it's also a drugstoredupe for YSL's Touche Eclat which is a beauty favourite amongst many so I thought why not.

Thoughts:
I'm in love with the packaging. For aesthetical purposes, the rose gold definitely helped my decision in buying this. The pen is one of those twisty clickers (we'll just pretend that is a technical term) that gradually release concealer when you turn it and the brush tip is extremely soft (it was white but I couldn't wait to try it before I took photos). My main issue with concealer pens is that a lot of product goes to waste so I'd just advise being light handed when giving it a twist. Ok, so it took me a while to notice this ... the tube looks like it has a lot of product in right? Well, it doesn't. Can you see where the beginning of the brush end starts. The liquid only goes up to the T in touch. What's in the rest of the pen?!

Results:
Dream Lumi Touch is supposed to be used as a highlighting concealer so what I'm looking for is something that conceals that extra baggage under my eyes whilst distracting from the mess with it's brightening effect. Not much to ask for right? Did it concealer? Yes it did. I'm not going to lie, it isn't as high coverage as I probably need but it covers the main dark areas when I'm wearing foundation underneath. Dream Lumi feels very light weight which means I'm not creasing around the eye area or feeling like my eye bags are being pulled further down. Did it highlight? Yes it did. Dream Lumi definitely gave my eyes a lovely light reflecting glow. It actually looked quite dewy which I really liked. My only issue with the concealer itself is that I chose the lightest shade (ivory) but it still comes out very orange. I'm used to concealers being a little too dark but this is so orange I thought that I'd picked up the wrong shade. It doesn't look horrendous when it's blended but I do have to wear my darker/heavier foundations underneath.

This concealer probably would be perfect for those of you who have a darker complexion than me but it's a lot of effort to make it work with my pale skin. I probably wouldn't purchase again unless they added a few extra shades into the mix for paler girls. Dream Lumi actually does a nice job of highlighting but the amount of product you actually get is disappointing so I'm on the fence. I know a lot of people like this so I'll let you be the judge of it.

Thursday, 8 October 2015

Hello lovelies! Today I'm back with a post for all you natural skincare lovers. I love the idea of natural ingredients in skincare but it can be difficult to get your hands on products that don't have the odd sneaky ingredient thrown in. To be honest, this should have gone in my Four Face Masks/ Four Skin Problems post but I wasn't sure if I was going to like this or not at first. The product I'm talking about is this Ancient Clay Facial Mask* from Maple Holistics. Maple Holistics are a brand from the USA who are sponsored byedumuch.com. They focus on high quality ingredients to maximise the therapeutical potential of each product. I could really do with some therapeutic pampering right now so let's see how I got on shall we?

Isn't it refreshing to only see three ingredients in a face mask and all of which come directly from the earth itself?

Process:
Ok, so this ancient clay facial mask comes in powdered form. Initially I did a mental "uh oh" as I had never used a face mask like this before. The instructions were pretty simple though. The tub comes with two scoops which I was secretly over the moon with (you all know I love a quirky skincare tool to fiddle about with). All you have to do is use one scoop of clay to two scoops of water, then you mix it all together into a paste. I just used the lid as a dish to mix it all together (anything to avoid extra washing up). Mixing this together is my favourite part of the whole process as it just feels very natural making the mask myself. I think it adds to the whole experience. What I have noticed is that one scoop of clay is way too much for me. I have a smallish face (I think I do anyways) so half a scoop tends to do the trick. At least it saves on product! The clay is obviously very wet when applied but does begin to harden the longer you leave it on. What I will say is that after washing it off, it does leave quite a mess behind so I'd advise applying it in the bath.

Thoughts:
I love clay masks as they are perfect for oily skin due to them absorbing all the toxins and dirt left behind. As someone who can get sloppy with their skincare routine, I'm all over this when I've had a heavy makeup day. Everytime I wash my hair, I just pop this clay mask on to work its magic whilst I'm waiting for everything to sink in. My previous experience with all natural face masks is that you have to keep them in the fridge and they go all gunky after a month or so (aint nobody got time for that) but as this is a clay mask, you don't get that problem. As the ingredients are natural, I don't feel any irritation or dryness after it has been removed which is always good. My skin feels clean and fresh after use and my blemished areas look a lot calmer. My only issue with this product is again, the mess that it leaves behind in the bath tub. It does make me step up my bathroom cleaning game though so I think I can handle it.

Maple Holistics don't just focus on face masks, they also specialise in natural skincare, bath, body and hair care so if you'd like to have a peruse click here. I'm laughing at myself because I managed to use the word peruse... simple things ey. They're also running a promotion to receive a free product through Amazon so if you'd like to check that out I'll leave the link hereLet me know if you have any natural beauty/skincare favs!You May Also Like:Magnitone Barefaced ReviewGarnier Micellar Water ReviewLloyds Pharmacy's New Skincare Range Skin Effect

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Hello again lovelies! I've been meaning to introduce you to my (dare I say it) most favourite purchase of the entire year. I've never been a fan of lipglosses to be honest. I'm sure the last lipgloss I owned came from my Sabrina's Secrets makeup box. How amazing was that kit by the way?! I'm just not into the wet and sticky texture of lipglosses so I tend to avoid them. I'd seen this brand crop up on many blogs but I had no idea where stocked Essence cosmetics. One day I nipped into Wilkinson's to check out their picture frames, as you do, and came out with this little cutie. Essence's XXXL Longlasting Matte Effect Lipgloss (£2.30) in the shade 06. The colour just looked so perfect. We've all been sucked into the 90's nude lip trend so I needed to add this to my collection.

Packaging and application
Ok, so the tube is pretty basic (although not too bad looking for such a cheap lipgloss) and comes with a doe foot applicator. Now, I'm not a fan of doe foot applicators. If you remember my Bourjois Velvet edition review I had a nightmare with applying it. When I saw the applicator on this one I thought oh here we go again as it looked even cheaper and plastickier (did I just make that word up) than the Bourjois one. Surprisingly, I prefer the cheap plastic applicator. The lipgloss applies so smoothly (and neatly) meaning that I don't end up looking like I've had spag bol for dinner. Unless I have had spag bol for dinner, then the extra around the lip stainage is expected.

Thoughts:
Isn't the colour just beautiful? I've had this on almost every day for the past 4 months now. I'm so in love (insert hearty eyed emoticon x10). As this is a matte lipgloss, I thought that it would make my lips extremely dry but it had the complete opposite effect. What really impressed me was the fact that it still remained moist even though it is a matte effect lipgloss. Amazing right? As you can see by the name of this product, it is supposed to be xxxl longlasting. That's a lot of x's isn't it. I wasn't expecting this to stay on very long considering that it doesn't dry out completely but I was wrong. I get a decent amount of wear out of this. I do top this up if I get the chance after about 3 or 4 hours just to perk up the pigmentation but it doesn't really disappear. My only issue is that eventually it does begin to crack on the lips. This always seems to happen when I've been wearing it all day long so it's to be expected really.